Every soldier knows that there are no trifles in military affairs. Good warrior equipment implies not only the presence of a serviceable machine gun and a sufficient amount of ammo. Comfortable unloading, a reliable helmet, high-quality uniforms and shoes - absolutely everything is important. Combat efficiency, and hence the success of the entire operation, directly depends on the shoes.
What is the difference between military shoes and civilian shoes, what advantages does it have, what kind of care does it require? Let's try to figure everything out in order.
History of military boots
The first high-top lace-up boots appeared during World War II. They were intended for paratroopers-paratroopers. The Americans were the first to appreciate the advantages of the new footwear, gradually changing all their troops into it. Already in the Vietnam War, the US army appeared in berets.
Soldiers of many European countries have gradually received new shoes.
But the Russians marched on the ground with a heavy tarpaulin tread for quite a long time. And only in 2007, the soldiers got army berets. It was they who replaced the heavy uncomfortable boots.
Today, such shoes are part of the uniforms of the military and some units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. She is shod with a privatesecurity, special forces units, military doctors.
Features of uniform shoes
Initially, military berets were designed to protect the ankle from injury. Their protective role is also important when moving over rough terrain. In addition, in military boots, the legs should not overheat and overcool. For this, army winter berets are produced with a thickened sole and with a fur lining. For water resistance, a special composition is responsible, which impregnates the skin, as well as firmware along the edge of the sole. For more expensive models, the Gore-Tex system is used, which completely eliminates leakage and is responsible for the stability of the temperature regime inside the boot.
Cuff boots are made most often from leather that has undergone a chromium treatment. Hence the common epithet - chrome. This treatment makes the skin denser and more durable. For some models, suede is also used. And although it loses its appearance faster than leather, it is not inferior to it in terms of durability.
Regular rubber or polyurethane is used for the sole. The sole relief and tread depth depend on the purpose. Often military shoes have a padded toe.
In summer models, you can often find membrane fabric inserts that provide maximum ventilation. Army summer boots can be made not only from leather, but also from dense textiles.
Most models have ordinary scalloped lacing. Several upper holes have been replaced with hooks; this allows faster lacing andlace up shoes. A side zipper is a rather rare phenomenon, since such a fastener negatively affects the tightness of the top to the leg. But in some models it is still found. Belts with buckles for laced military shoes are not typical, since in the field all unnecessary elements only get in the way.
A word about manufacturers
Many professional military men, as well as fans of near-military sports, single out Belarusian-made Garsing shoes in the budget price segment. These army boots combine decent quality and expressive design with an affordable price. The shoes of this manufacturer are officially on uniforms not only in Belarus, but also abroad. In Russia, several enterprises are engaged in the production of ankle boots on special orders of the Ministry of Defense.
Dutch and English shoes, NATO army boots, German Bundeswehr boots will cost an order of magnitude more.
Army boots outside the army
You can't do without high-quality shoes and many of those who are not directly related to military operations. Army berets were chosen by extreme tourists, and fans of airsoft, paintball, laser tag. Representatives of subcultures did not stand aside either.
And demand, as you know, gives rise to supply. Therefore, on the shelves of ordinary non-specialized shoe stores, you can meet both army berets and completely civilian replicas, lavishly decoratedspikes, rivets, buckles.
